The Ones They Left Behind
by iloveromance
Summary: After losing their loved ones to an unexpected romance, Mel and Donny find solace in each other. A story told from Mel's point of view.
1. Chapter 1

She stood watching them drive off in Martin's Winnebago but she didn't have to see their faces to know what was really going on. They were gazing at each other with sickening looks of love. The thought made her stomach churn. She tried not to cry, she really did. And mostly, she succeeded.

She wanted to strangle him, and she would have done just that, if he ever returned. Damn him. How dare he ruin their brand new marriage for that… tramp of a maid who had no skills other than the ability to take care of a crotchety old man!

She couldn't believe that Niles would choose Daphne over her-Mel Karnofksy. She was a plastic surgeon for God's sake! And a damn good one! Mel didn't really believe in fate, but something brought Niles into her office and it wasn't just Maris' medical bills. She and Niles were meant to be together and he knew it as well. It wasn't just Mel's place in society, although that was a huge factor. No one in Seattle-or the entire Pacific Northwest for that matter- had skills that matched hers. She was a brilliant plastic surgeon and absolutely everyone knew it. Mel made certain that her name was widely known and that her reputation was stellar. No, it was more than that. It was the way Mel and Niles fit so well together. They were equals on so many levels. Sure they had their differences, but in time, she knew that she could convince Niles to see things her way-if the situation warranted it.

Her blood boiled when she thought of how much trouble she went through to plan her honeymoon. Oh how she'd wanted to just skip this horrible wedding (the one that ultimately never happened!) all together and start the rest of their lives. But Niles, of course insisted on going to the wedding, saying that he owed it to Daphne. Well, as far as Mel was concerned , Niles didn't owe Daphne a damn thing. She didn't approve of Niles paying half of Daphne's salary with what was now _their_ money. Now that they were married, Mel knew that she should have a say so in that matter, and she had fully intended to say something after their honeymoon. No sense in ruining what was going to be a wonderful getaway where they wouldn't have to bother with anyone. They could just be with each other. The way it should have been from the start. But all of that was null and void now. She knew that she should have said something last night, but-oh, she didn't want to think about last night! She should have feigned sick or something… _anything_ to get out of this wedding. Her life had almost been perfect and now it was shattered beyond belief.

The honeymoon plans returned to her mind. The Grand Canal was the most magnificent place and the view looked oh so romantic. It was the perfect place for a honeymoon, but now she would never know.

Her throat felt tight and the sights blurred before her eyes. But she would not cry. To cry would be-

Suddenly he was standing in front of her, bringing her a huge sense of relief. Thank God, he'd come to his senses. She had a right mind to never speak to him again and to never forgive him. But she loved him and she would forgive him eventually but it would take a long, long time to regain his trust and she was going to make sure that he knew the consequences of his actions.

"Niles, you came back!" She said as sweetly as possible. "I was worried about you. Where were you, darling?" She adjusted his tie, which had become disheveled, most likely from the ridiculous stunt he had pulled. The color looked horrible on him. She'd told him that time and time again, but Niles, being Niles, rarely listened.

"Mel, I-I need to tell you something."

"All right, what is it my darling?" She plastered a smile on her face, pretending that she didn't know what he was about to say. And truthfully she wasn't sure at all what he was about to tell her. But suddenly he was standing just inches in front of her, saying words that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. The only words that truly stood out were the ones that she never dreamed she'd hear.

"I'm in love with Daphne and I'm leaving you, Mel. I'm sorry."

The silence that followed was deafening, but all she could do was stare at him. "Mel…" he said again. "Mel, did you hear what I said?"

She'd heard him all right. But all she could do was scream. Yes, a blood-curdling scream was the perfect response. The only thing better would have been a hard slap across the face. That would certainly get his attention. But it would also draw attention to the two of them. No, she needed to scream. And after she screamed as loud as she could, she felt a huge sense of relief.

His reaction should have been satisfactory enough, for clearly she'd made her point. He flinched and backed away and she was aware of the wedding guests staring at them in horror. But she was so angry that she couldn't see straight, nor did she care. This was her worst nightmare come true. She and Niles had only been married for less than two days. She loved him and he had told her repeatedly that he loved her.

But just like that, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

She did her best not to make eye contact with anyone and instead walked around the perimeter of the Wayside Inn, trying not to think about what could have been. She was prepared to spend the rest of her life with Niles and was already thinking of ways to distance him from his family. He didn't need them, nor did he deserve them. His brother was one of the most annoying men she'd ever met. And his father! The man was a complete nutcase! They should have put him in a rest home years ago. But Niles, being Niles, wouldn't have it of course. They had never discussed the situation at any length, but Mel knew that given a little bit of nudging, Niles would have seen that a rest home was the best option. At least there, the old man should have been taken care of and Niles wouldn't have to bother. It certainly would have solved a lot of problems. Frasier certainly wasn't doing a very good job taking care of the old man. And if they couldn't come to an agreement on the rest home, then it would just take a little more nudging to make Niles see that he didn't need to be making visits to his brother's home on a daily basis. Once a year on Christmas was more than enough.

She knew that she should just leave this horrible place, even though she and Niles had come together in his car. She could get a cab and just pray that no one recognized her along the way. Yes, she would just call a cab, or better yet, her office. They would be more than happy to send her a limousine to get her home. She'd have to make up an excuse of course, but then again, her office knew better than to ask questions about things that weren't any of their business.

She tried not to think of the repercussions once the news about her crumbled marriage made it's way across the city. What would she tell her mother? Her family? Her son? He was nearly a grown man and didn't need explanations, but she had been so excited that she'd finally found someone to love that she didn't hesitate to tell him. He wasn't happy about her impromptu marriage to someone she'd never met, but Mel vowed to introduce them as soon as possible. She just knew that they would get along beautifully.

Her son had qualities that Niles would never have, but she knew that in time, Niles would see in her son the same qualities that Mel saw. What was the harm in hoping that they would form a lasting bond of stepfather and stepson? The idea made her smile. But her smile quickly faded when she realized that it would never happen now. Strangely she felt the slightest bit of relief that her son hadn't been able to make it to the wedding.

At first, when he'd told her, she was angry (Very angry) and accused him of being a horrible son. But he managed to convince her that missing the wedding was necessary if he wanted to keep his job. He had a high-profile position at an even higher profile company. Finally, after all these years he'd lived up to her expectations. She was proud of him, for she knew that his job and his position in society could only be a good reflection on his mother. At least that's the way it should be.

A sigh escaped, one that was dangerously close to a sob. She needed to leave, as quickly as possible before she really lost it. She was just about to open her phone to dial her office phone number when she heard a commotion. When she looked up and saw a large crowd of people who were gathered around the garden. This was utterly ridiculous. Didn't these people know that there was no longer going to be a wedding? What could possibly-

"Someone get a doctor!" Someone yelled.

"He's hurt!" Shouted another.

Curious she walked over to the crowd, but couldn't tell what was going on. And then she smiled. She wasn't at all happy about being ditched by her brand new husband, but she could certainly make herself useful.

"All right, get out of the way!" She shouted, pushing her way through the crowd. "I'm a doctor! What's going on here?"

Dutifully the crowd parted, allowing her to see the victim. It was a man. She could see the black legs of his pants stretched out in front of him. His face was hidden by a few of the guests, but Mel took care of that by pushing them out of the way. But she wasn't prepared for what she saw. There he was, leaning against a large black rock in the middle of the rock garden.

"Oh my God... Donny?"


	3. Chapter 3

Instantly she knelled down beside him, but was suddenly at a loss for what to do. "Where's the damn first aid kit?" She yelled. A few people began to scatter and minutes later she was handed a small white box.

"Is he going to be okay?" Someone asked. "He looks pretty bad."

"I'll take care of him, all right?" She glanced at the rather odd looking man with the English accent. Most likely a relative of Daphne's. "Don't you have anything better to do than to stare at me?" She snapped. The man turned on his heels and walked away. Thank God for that. Finally, she could concentrate in peace. When she turned to look at Donny again, she felt a twinge of worry. He was out cold, most likely from having hit his head on the rock.

Damn that Daphne. She was about to marry this man and suddenly when Niles decides that he's in love with her, she decides that Donny's life isn't worth it? But when Mel looked back at Donny, she knew that she had no time to waste. He may have had a concussion and that could lead to a coma or worse.

She dug into the first aid kit until she found a large blue packet. She kneaded it quickly in her hands until it became colder and colder. Thank God for modern technology. There was simply no time to go back to the hotel and get some ice. Donny was hanging by a thread as it was. Head injuries were no laughing matter. She took the freezing ice pack and gently put her hand behind his head, placing the ice pack on it. The sensation made him gasp and he opened his eyes. Clearly he was disoriented and looked around in confusion.

"Wh-what happened?" his voice was raspy.

"Don't try to move." She said as gently as possible. "Just relax, all right?"

"Wh-what happened?" He asked again.

"You fainted, all right?" Agitation slipped into her voice. "Now just lie still."

"I-I fainted? What happened?"

"Damn it, Donny, stop asking me that! I've told you already!"

"But… where's Daphne?"

_Who the hell cares?_ She muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"Nothing. I-I don't know where she is. She and Niles…" Her throat felt tight and tears threatened to fall. "Look, don't worry about her. She obviously doesn't give a damn about you. Just lie still. Oh God, you're bleeding. Let me take care of this wound."

He flinched as she began to clean the small wound with an alcohol pad, but she didn't care. Nothing could possibly hurt worse than being dumped by your bride to be just moments before the wedding-or being dumped by your husband just days into your marriage.

Donny continued to chatter on about Daphne while Mel took care of his wound. She poured alcohol into a gauze pad and placed it against his head. And then she wrapped a bandage around his forehead, securing it into place.

"There, I think you'll be okay now."

She admired her work. It didn't make Donny look attractive at all, but it would have to do.

"M-Mel?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

She almost smiled. "Never mind that. Can you sit up?"

"I-I don't…"

She took his hand and held it tightly while he struggled to sit upright.

"Good, now why don't we get you to your feet?"

"Oh God..."

"Come on, don't be a baby, all right? You can do it." Carefully she helped him to his feet until they were standing face to face.

"Thank you." He said again.

"You already said that."

"I know, but I meant it."

"Well, as long as you're okay."

"I meant for the dance."

Her eyebrows rose. "Dance?"

"Yeah, you know, last night?"

She swallowed hard. "Oh…"

"You're one hell of a dancer."

"Am I?"

"Yeah." He said something else but she wasn't paying attention. She was staring at the Wayside Inn and the balcony, the one that led to their hotel room, the one she shared with the man who was supposed to be her husband.

"It was nice." Donny continued.

She wanted to say something but what was she supposed to say? All she could do was continue to stare at the balcony.

Her mind went to their room where they had made blissful love and she wondered how and where it had all gone wrong. Just hours before they were in love. It was true that their marriage was rather impromptu but what the harm of getting married on a whim? People did it every day and some of those people had been married for decades. She thought that she and Niles would be one of those couples who would have been married forever. But it was not meant to be.

And that was all it took for the dam of her emotions to break.


	4. Chapter 4

Her throat felt tight and it was hard to swallow. A familiar feeling ran through her and she could feel her eyes welling with tears; tears that she'd fought like hell to keep at bay. But of course, they were determined to get the best of her.

As she stood looking up at the balcony that was hers and Niles (even if only for a little while) she remembered the kisses, the lovemaking and the warmth that they shared. All of it, including the love, was nothing but a lie.

"Karnofksy?"

She tried to ignore whomever it was who was calling her name. Certainly she shouldn't be expected to respond to someone who simply called her by her last name, without at least attaching the status of _Doctor_ before it. And besides, she didn't want to see anyone, especially not after she'd been humiliated so. Damn, why didn't she just leave the Wayside Inn when she had the chance? Any idiot would have-

"Mel-."

Her name…. Whomever was behind her knew her well enough (Or thought so anyway) to address her casually. Well, she still wasn't going to speak to him. He'd go away eventually.

"Mel, look-."

"Go away, please!"

"Hey, come on. Talk to me, all right?"

"Just leave me alone!" she yelled. "I don't want to-." Horrifyingly her voice broke and she felt someone gently turn her around. And she found herself face to face with the mysterious person, that person being Donny Douglas. She tried her best to ignore him, she really did. But when their eyes met unexpectedly, her tears began to make another appearance.

"Hey, don't cry, all right?"

"Don't patronize me, Douglas!" She screamed. "I have every damn right to cry!"

"Yes, you do. And I'm not patronizing. I'm just…" His voice was gentler now, softer, and for some strange reason, it touched a very small place in her heart; the place that was always the most vulnerable; the place that always caused her to get into the most trouble.

She turned away and began to cry quietly, no longer caring about her reputation, her shattered heart, or even Niles and Daphne for that matter.

The hug, when it happened, was unexpected and strangely comforting. Donny Douglas was hardly the type of man that she would prefer to be seen with, but there was something about him. Unwillingly she leaned against him, crying softly into his cheap, scratchy black tuxedo, barely aware of the world around her. If she closed her eyes she could almost imagine that it was Niles' who had his arms around her, begging her to forgive him for the huge lack of good judgement. He would beg her to take him back and vow never to even look at Daphne Moon again. It would take a long long time, but she would forgive her insensitive husband. She always did-eventually.

"You all right?"

Startled by the voice that was not Niles, she drew back and brushed the tears from her cheeks. For it was Donny who was speaking to her, Donny who had been holding her so close. Donny, who-

"Mel, are you all right?"

Abruptly she pulled out of his arms. "Don't, Donny. Just don't!"

"Don't what?"

"Defend her!"

"Defend who? What are you talking about?"

"I'm not stupid, Donny. I know that you're going to defend that tramp!"

"What?"

"I'M TALKING ABOUT DAPHNE!" she screamed, startling him with her outburst.

"Daphne? I'm not-."

"Like hell you're not! You're going to take her side, aren't you? Of course you are! But don't do it in front of me because she's nothing but a conniving little tramp!"

"Hey, wait a minute. Daphne's not a tramp, all right?"

She threw up her hands in disbelief. "See? What did I tell you? I knew you were going give in to your so-called feelings! Well, go right ahead!" Angrily she turned away from him, but found herself facing him yet again.

"Look, I'm not trying to defend her, but I don't like you calling her a tramp!I still love her you know, and until just a little while ago, I was ready to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Why, Donny? And how? How could you possibly still love her? Don't you even care, Donny? We've been dumped! Humiliated by our-well, my husband and your finance! They ran off together like some… lame characters in one of those stupid romance novels that Daphne is always reading!"

He flinched. "Don't remind, me all right?"

"Don't worry; I won't have to, because you'll be reminded of it _every day for the rest of your life_! I know I will."

This time when she turned and walked away, he let her.


	5. Chapter 5

She was almost halfway down the sidewalk when she realized that Donny wasn't, in fact, coming after her. He had no reason to, of course. At that moment all she wanted to do was go home. But there was something about him…

Reluctantly she stopped in her tracks and turned around. He was still standing right where she'd left him and the look on his face was one that spoke volumes.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

He turned around, obviously surprised to see her. "Mel…"

"Well?"

"There's nothing I can do! Daphne's gone and so is Niles, and-."

"I know what _I'm_ going to do! I'm going to make them pay for this! I refuse to be humiliated by my… my husband and that… tramp!"

"Mel!"

"What other name is there, Donny? She stole my husband just hours before you were supposed to marry her! What would you call it?"

"Well, _tramp_ is a very strong word."

"It's not strong enough, believe me! I never liked her from the moment I laid eyes on her. What in the hell was Frasier thinking, hiring her to look after his father? She's nothing more than a would be nurse and a bad one at that! The old man is still limping after what, seven years and he looks worse than ever!"

"Hey, come on, Mel…"

"If I ever see them again, they're going to PAY!"

"You mentioned that already."

"How can you be so calm? Aren't you the least bit upset?"

"Of course I'm upset! How could I not be? I've been humiliated as well, here and even more so because this was supposed to be my wedding! MINE!"

She swallowed hard. Niles was right. She was always thinking of herself and no one else. Perhaps it was time to change, if only this once. "You're right, Donny. It was your wedding. So what are you going to do about it?"

"Well, there's really only one thing I can do."

"Which is?"

He smiled-a real smile. "Sue them for all their worth!"

Mel couldn't hide the grin that spread across her face. "Well, you won't get much out of Daphne, that's for sure."

"True, but it'll be enough to shake her up a little. I know I'm pretty shaken up about this whole thing."

He was looking at her in a way that she'd rarely been looked at before. And it was starting to make her very uncomfortable. "What's wrong, Donny? "

"Well, I'm no shrink, but I can see how upset you are by all of this."

"I'm not upset, I'm just-." She turned away brushing the embarrassing tears from her cheeks. And suddenly a handkerchief appeared in front of her. She looked up, surprised. A man handing a woman a handkerchief was something that only Niles would do. She never dreamed that Donny-.

"Thank you." She tried to smile as she blotted the tears from her eyes. Her makeup was decidedly ruined, but she no longer cared.

"Mel-."

"Just… go away, all right?"

"We're kindred spirits, you and I. We both had something unexpected happen to us and now we have a common bond."

"Oh God, please stop saying that! _Kindred spirits..._You sound like Niles."

"Well, maybe his psychiatry has rubbed off on me."

She laughed at his comment. "And all this time I thought you were a lawyer!"

"I'm most _definitely_ a lawyer and I wouldn't dream of being anything else. But lawyers can have shrink-like thoughts too."

Again she laughed, even though she didn't want to. But Donny Douglas was different than she expected him to be. Completely and utterly different. And that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all.


	6. Chapter 6

"Look, why don't I take you home?"

She was so stunned by the question that she wasn't sure how to respond. "What?"

"I said-."

"I _heard_ what you said, but you're in absolutely no condition to drive! In fact, you may have a concussion!"

"I'll be fine."

"Head injuries are no laughing matter, Donny and I think you should take that into consideration when you bring up the lawsuit against Daphne. She-She could have killed you!"

"Hey, calm down, all right? No need to get excited. I'm fine."

"Donny-."

"That witch could have _killed you_, don't you understand that?"

"Yeah, I guess she could have. But you don't live that far away. Trust me, it'll be fine."

"All right, but... Oh damn! "

"What is it?"

"Well, Niles and I came together and-."

"Ah, I see."

"I'll just call the office and get them to send a limousine. I should have done it sooner."

"A limo, wow! That's pretty extravagant."

"Not really. I've ridden in hundreds of limousines. I mean weren't you and Daphne-." She stopped, silently chiding herself for bringing up that woman's name. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right. Look, why don't we just take my car?"

"But -."

"Stop being so doctor-like. I'm fine!"

"Well..."

"It's not as fancy as Crane's car, but- Oh jeez, I'm doing it too. I'm sorry, Mel. The last thing you need to be reminded of is..."

"I know."

They stared at each other for a moment."It's going to take us a long time to get over this, isn't it?"

She nodded, unable to know what to say.

"Look, about tonight…"

"Yes?"

"Um, never mind. Let's just get you home. It's been a long day."

Amazingly she smiled. "That's the understatement of the twenty-first century." But for some reason she couldn't move. She just stood there, staring up at the room, where she and Niles-

"Mel? You all right?"

"What?"

I was just askiong if-."

"Oh, yeah... I'm... well, I-I just need to get my luggage. I'll meet you in the lobby. I don't know if Niles-."

"Don't worry about it. I'll make sure that you're checked out. Just take your time, okay?"

"All right, but-."

"Look, don't worry about me. If anything happens, I'll call 911. And if they don't come in record time, they'll be sorry!"

It was meant to be a joke, but it made her feel strange.

He started down the sidewalk and she watched him for a moment. "Donny?"

Her voice stopped him in his tracks. "Yeah?"

Her smile came easily. "Thanks."

"No problem. Just take your time. I'll take care of everything."

She headed back into the hotel, almost forgetting about the fact that her life had fallen apart.


	7. Chapter 7

Her bags packed, she appeared in the lobby of the Wayside Inn faster than she anticipated. But she didn't mind. The sooner she got away from the place, the better. She never wanted to see it again as long as she lived.

As expected Donny was waiting for her, wearing a smile. The gesture surprised her. For someone who had been through complete hell, she wasn't sure if his smile was genuine, but the sight of him gave her a warm feeling, one that she hadn't felt in a very long time.

Sure, she loved Niles (or thought she did) and at times he had definitely managed to set her heart aflutter. But who was she kidding? Fluttering hearts were for people who read romance novels, not for prestigious doctors like herself. She didn't believe in romance-not anymore anyway.  
The moment that she and Donny made eye contact, he crossed the marble floor and went to her. Without a word he picked up her luggage. "So is this everything?"

"Um, yes, that's it. Thank you."

"All right, well, you're all checked out, so we'll just head out to my car."

"Great. Yes, I think I have everything ready. Oh, it will be good to get out of this dreadful place. I mean, who in their right mind would pick a place like this for their wed-." she stopped mid-sentence, afraid to look at him, cursing silently. Once again she'd managed to say the wrong thing. She expected Donny to be angry, but her faux paus didn't seem to faze him. Perhaps, he was taking this better than she. If that was the case, he was most definitely the stronger one.

"All right then, let's go."

Wordlessly, she followed him across the street to the parking lot but couldn't help but notice that he was swaying a bit, a sign that his bump on the head had affected him in more ways than one. Instinctively, she took his arm and allowed him to escort her to his car. It wasn't a romantic gesture, or at least it wasn't meant to be, but it felt… nice.

They climbed in the car and fastened their seatbelts. But as the car turned onto the main street, she began to feel nervous.

"D-Donny?"

"Yeah?"

"I-…" She swallowed hard, felt his eyes on her.

"What is it?"

"I don't think I can do this."

"What are you talking about?"

"I…" He slowed the car to a stop at a traffic light and glanced at her. "What's wrong?"

Suddenly she felt very small. "Nothing. Never mind. It's…"

The car moved forward and she wished that she hadn't said anything at all. She was worrying over nothing, most likely a sign of her distress.

"Mel?"

"I just…"

Without warning the car veered into the adjacent lane, causing the driver behind them to honk his horn. "Donny! What are you doing?"

Wordlessly he pulled into an empty parking lot and for the first time she was actually afraid. She knew very little about Donny Douglas and what he was capable of. He'd just had his heart shattered and she was a vulnerable woman. What if-.

But when he turned off the engine and looked at her, his expression told her that he had no intention of coming onto her or violating her in any way. Could it be that he was sincere in his concern for her?

"Mel, look, I-."

Her heart pounded in her chest. Why did she have to say anything at all? She could feel him looking at her. He wanted to know what was going on and deep down she wanted to tell him. She didn't know how long she could go without pretending that nothing had happened.

"Mel, what is it?"

She took a deep breath, a technique she'd learned from Niles of all people. Surprisingly it did calm her down some, but she had no idea what Donny's reaction would be to her confession.

"I-I just… what if, when we get to the Montana, Niles is there… with her?"

To her horror, Donny laughed! He laughed! Damn him! It was no laughing matter and she certainly didn't like being made fun of. Damn him!

"What in the hell is so damn funny?" she yelled. "Why are you laughing? It's perfectly-."

"I'm sorry." He said, still laughing. "I don't blame you. God knows I don't. But there's no way in hell that Crane would even think of bringing Daphne to the Montana."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well, he's not stupid. Not in that sense anyway. He's not going to do anything to risk getting caught. He has Daphne now and, well…"

Before she knew what was happening, Mel put her hand on his arm. He was no longer laughing.

"You're right. I-I don't know what I was thinking."

"They're probably halfway to Canada by now."'

Mel's heart felt heavy and she turned to look out the window. The images of the passing cars blurred before her eyes. Canada. The one place that she'd never been and the place that Niles had always said he would take her. An unexpected sob escaped, and she felt his hand on her shoulder. She wanted so much to turn around but she didn't dare. She wouldn't let him see her cry. And yet, he knew.

"I guess we're both batting zero today, aren't we?" he asked quietly. She wanted so badly to lash out at him, to tell him to take his stupid hand off of her shoulder and leave her alone. But she realized that she needed him. She needed him badly.


	8. Chapter 8

She turned to him, no longer embarrassed by her emotions. "So, what should we do now? I-I mean, I can't very well go home. Not yet anyway."  
He sighed, as though deep in thought. "Why don't you stay at my place?"

It was a completely ludicrous suggestion and they both knew it. But she didn't hesitate to answer. "A-All right. But what if-."

"No one's gonna know, all right? And if they find out? Well, that's their problem. Besides, it's none of their damn business anyway."

"Right. Are you sure you're okay to drive?"

"Well, actually I have a pretty bad headache and I'm kind of dizzy."

Worry crept into her chest. This was the last thing either of them needed. "I-I'll drive. But I think we should take you to the emergency room."

"What? No! Absolutely not."

"Donny-."

"I'll be fine, really! Besides, you're a doctor!"

"I'm a plastic surgeon, Donny." She laughed.

"So, Crane is a shrink and he claims to know about medicine. I just thought-."

She swallowed hard, trying not to think of the man who had shattered her heart. "Well, if you really don't want to go to the doctor, we should at least get you home to rest."

"I do have a headache."

"Get out."

"What? You're throwing me out of my own car? What the hell is wrong with you?"

She climbed out of the passenger seat and shut the door. Once she was by the driver's side, she opened the door and gently tugged on the sleeve of his tuxedo.

"You're in no condition to drive and I don't know why I let you drive at all! I should have called 911 from the beginning, but it's too late for that now. If you won't let me take you to the hospital, at least let me drive you home."

His deep sigh told her that he was annoyed, but she didn't care.

"All right." He replied after a silence that she let go on too long.

"Good, now get in the car and put on your seatbelt."

He did as he was told and she slid into the driver's seat and started the car. Her fingers were trembling as she glanced at the dashboard in hopes of learning his car quickly. It was much different than Niles' and surprisingly much nicer. Perhaps she would get one like it, when she got her hearty divorce settlement.

The moment he shut the door, he leaned his head against the seat and groaned. This time it was she who reached over and stroked his dark curly hair.

"Thanks, Donny."

"For what?"

So many things... She wanted to say. But instead she swallowed hard. "Just rest. We'll be home soon."


	9. Chapter 9

She lay in bed that night, her mind swirling with more emotions than she thought a person could feel at once. It was odd, knowing that Donny was in his bedroom, only a few steps away from the guest room. The only thing that separated them was the small guest bathroom. A good thing because she needed to check on him regularly in case the worst happened and he fell into a coma. It happened to head trauma victims and although thankfully his head injury was mild compared to some, it didn't pay to take chances.

She couldn't sleep, no matter how hard she tried. Her mind simply wouldn't turn off, flipping back and forth from worrying about Donny to thinking about Niles. Niles…. Once again the tightness rose in her chest, followed by that familiar feeling. Anger surged through her and she looked around the room, hoping to find something hard, made of glass. Something she could throw against the wall, smiling in satisfaction as it shattered. But of course she wouldn't do it. This wasn't her home, it was Donny's. Everywhere she looked there were pictures of Daphne, some alone and some with Donny. In each picture they were smiling. Their arms around each other. They looked happy. Mel was happy once, but she doubted she'd ever be happy again. She glanced at the ring on her left hand; remembering the day that Niles slipped it on her finger, promising to love her till death do them part. She never thought a man like Niles Crane would break a promise. How wrong she was.

The sadness rose within her until the room blurred before her. She couldn't get the thoughts out of her head, the realization that from now on, she was decidedly single, even if there were not yet any legal documents to prove it. Her husband was gone, having run off with a woman that he'd known for years. Mel knew that she had a bad temper, and she knew that it caused people to dislike her because of it. She couldn't help the way she was and she would never change. It was what made her so successful in her career and what was wrong with wanting a proper place in society? She thought that she'd fallen in love with a man who would share that with her. A man who would understand her needs and share her interests. She had lost Niles in one day, and she feared that she'd never find love again.

It was only when she heard a soft knock on the door that she realized that she'd been crying. Her pillow was clutched in her hands and she was shaking like a frightened child. The sound came again and the door slowly opened.

"What?" she snapped.

Donny appeared in the doorway, having changed his clothes. He was wearing blue pajamas, ones that were far less impressive than the silk ones that Niles wore. Chances were that they came from a store that Mel would never set foot in. But somehow they looked nice on him.

"What do you want?" she snapped again. Her tone was harsh and essentially uncalled for, but with any luck it would distract him enough to make him go away.

"Nothing. I was just up and I thought-."

"What did you think? Oh, never mind, whatever it was, it's probably-."

He entered the room and walked over to the bed. "Hey, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I just want to be left alone."

"I'm no shrink but I can see that you're anything but fine."

She tried to protest but he sat down beside her. "I'm fine, really. Please, just leave."

"I can't leave you. Not like this."

"What, are you deaf? I said leave!"

"And I said I'm staying! You've had a terrible blow to your self-esteem. I get that! Believe me, I do! I-."

For the first time she looked deeply into his eyes. "You're hurting too, aren't you?"

He looked away.

"Donny…."

"You're damn right I'm hurting! We both are! And that's why we should be together tonight!"

Her eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"Forget about what everyone else thinks. You and I…"

Unexpectedly she burst into tears, burying her face in his chest. The fabric of his pajamas was surprisingly soft and it was easy to close her eyes and cry to her heart's content. No one was watching her; no one was there to judge her. She'd never cried in front of Niles. There was never any need to. It was easier to scream and yell until she got her way.

But Donny was different. And that scared her.


	10. Chapter 10

She awoke sometime later, startled by the realization that something was different… very different. She wasn't alone in the room. His arms were around her and her face was pressed against his chest. Her first thought was panic. Oh God, had she really been so distraught that she'd made love to him? But he was still wearing his pajamas and she was in her nightgown. Relief flooded her. Nothing of that sort had happened. But she still didn't understand. Why was he in her room?

Slowly she moved away from him. "Donny?" she whispered, shaking him gently.  
He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Yeah?"

"What… what's going on? What are you doing in here?"

He sat up, wincing. "Ohhh…"

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Headache."

Then it all came back to her, along with that sick feeling in her stomach. Remembering his head injury, she sprang from the bed and ran into the bathroom. "Where's your aspirin?"

"I'll get it."

"NO!" She hadn't meant to scream the word and she could feel her heart racing. "I-I mean… just lay there. I'll find it."

"In the bathroom. Medicine cabinet."

"Okay, thanks." She rushed into the bathroom, her head trembling as she opened the cabinet and searched for the aspirin. Two Tylenol should do the trick. The pills fell easily into her hand and she snapped the cap back onto the bottle and then filled a glass with water.

"Here you are." She said, returning to the guest bedroom.

"Thanks." He downed them in one gulp.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Well, this bed is kind uncomfortable. I'm sorry about that. I'll go back to bed. I just wanted to make sure you're all right."

A strange feeling of disappointment fell over her. "Oh… okay. Let me know if you need anything."

"I'll be fine. Hopefully this headache will go away soon." He rose from the bed and she watched, almost helplessly as he walked out the door. "Sorry if I bothered you."

"It was no bother, really. I-."

"Goodnight."

"Night."

And then he was gone.

She closed the door and crawled back into bed. But she couldn't sleep. She sat there, staring at the door. But this time she wasn't thinking about Niles. She was thinking about the man in the room just steps away.

What did Donny see in Daphne anyway? The woman was loud, had a horrid accent and couldn't cook worth a damn. At least that was one thing that she and Niles (and his family for that matter) agreed on. This lead to another thought. Why would Niles jeopardize their marriage to run away with Daphne Moon? Didn't he understand that Daphne would never be good for him no matter what? His social status was bound to decline, as well as his reputation in the industry. Daphne wouldn't be able provide the things that Niles needed most, like security.

Memories came to her then. But they were not memories of the many parties that she and Niles attended. It was the way he looked at her when she entered a room. The way he kissed her and told her that he loved her. The way he made her feel when they made love. And most of all the way she felt when he held her, neither of them saying a word. It was that, she realized that she missed most of all.

Brushing tears from her face, she stared into the mirror. She looked awful. Her skin was pale and her hair was disheveled. And Niles just cast her off like she was nobody.

Her thoughts moved to the man in the room just steps away. The man who had essentially risked his health to come and make sure she was all right. When in fact it was she who should have been checking on him. After all, she was the doctor.

Heart racing, she opened the door to her bedroom and walked into the dark hallway. She didn't knock on his door, but opened it slowly and walked in. The moonlight streamed through the window, casting a bright rod of light across the bed and onto the floor.

She crept over to the bed. "Donny?" She whispered. When he didn't answer she tried again. "Donny?"

He woke with a start and turned on the light. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I-."

"You're crying again."

"No I'm not. I'm just-."

"What is it?"

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came.

"Never mind, I know exactly what it is." Surprisingly he reached for her hand. "Maybe I shouldn't have proposed to Daphne. I guess I didn't know her as well as I thought and I sure as hell didn't think that she had a thing for Crane."

The tightness in Mel's chest deepened and she turned around. But his hand in hers prevented her from leaving.

"Damn… I-I had no right to say that."

"You had every right." She whispered.

The silence that followed seemed to go on forever.

"Why did you come here?"

"To check on you. Your head…"

"It's much better." He said. "Headache's gone."

"That's good. You should probably still see a doctor. You know, just in case."

"I will. But thank you for taking care of me…at the…. Wedding."

"Y-you're welcome."

"Is that the only reason you're here?"

Once again she was at a loss for words. She could lie, the way she'd done so many times. Or for once, she could tell the truth. Slowly she turned around. "I-."

"Yeah?"

"I was just wondering… if it's not too much trouble…"

"Mel, what are you trying to say? I've never seen you like this."

She swallowed hard. Why was it so difficult to tell him what she needed?

"Will you… hold me?"

Her heart was pounding so rapidly that she was sure he could hear it. She knew that what she was doing was wrong, it was oh so wrong, but she needed it so badly.

He said nothing, but lifted the corner of the comforter and sheets. Wordlessly she slid into bed beside him. He turned out the light and put his arm around her, drawing her close to him. It was so easy to lay her head on his chest and close her eyes, comforted by his warmth.

She had no idea what the future held or what her life would be like without Niles. She didn't even know if she had a future with Donny, or even if she wanted one. But she was content for the time being.

THE END


End file.
